The Effect of Background Colour on Behaviour and Development of Golden Mantella ( <i>Mantella aurantiaca</i> ) Tadpoles

ABSTRACT The housing environment significantly influences the behaviour and welfare of captive animals. Therefore, incorporating species‐specific enrichment is necessary to improve the living conditions of animals in human care. In their natural habitat, amphibians are often exposed to environmental conditions that are not fully taken into consideration when planning their captive environment. The impact of this omission is poorly understood. This study investigates the influence of background colouration on golden mantella ( Mantella aurantiaca ) tadpoles during various stages of ontogeny. It explores how background colour impacts habitat choice, development, activity and sheltering behaviour. To that aim, we raised tadpoles in tanks with a black or white background and tested their preference for light or dark environments. Overall, tadpoles preferred the darker environment, though this effect weakened with increasing age. Rearing background colour did not influence growth rate or sheltering behaviour. However, tadpoles were less active when reared in darker conditions. These results suggest that tadpoles have clear preferences for darker backgrounds and that rearing them in their preferred environments might lead to lower stress levels. This emphasises the importance of tailoring amphibian husbandry to their specific needs, beginning at the tadpole stage, with wider implications for amphibian care.